Winder



Sept. 25, 1951 J. G. KERSHAW WINDER 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 12, 1948 INVENTOR. JOHN GREEN fins/44W p 5, 1951 J. G. KERSHAW 2,568,960

WINDER Filed Nov. 12, 1948 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Jay/v GMT/v AE/Ps/MW Sept. 25, 1951 J. G. KERSHAW 2,568,960

' WINDER Filed Nov. 12, 1948 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR. Jomv 'ess/v fires/m w AT TOR EY Sept. 25, 1951 J. G. KERSHAW 2,563,960

WINDER Filed Nov. 12, 1948 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEY pt. 25, 1951 J. G. KERSHAW 2,568,960

WINDER Filed Nov. 12, 1948 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. JOHN Gaza/v KERSfi/AW Sept. 25, 1951 J. G. KERSHAW WINDER Filed Nov.- 12, 1948 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR.

Joy/v GREEN Kins/m w ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 25, 1951 WINDER John G. Kershaw, Oak Bay, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, assignor to Drummondville Cotton Company Limited, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, a corporation of Canada Application November 12, 1948, Serial No. 59,610

3 Claims.

Introduction This invention relates to winders, and more particularly to a winder of the type adapted to lay at least three ends of ply yarn side by side on a winder tube to make a package, principally used in the manufacture of tire cord.

In winding packages of yarn in which a plurality of ends are adapted to be laid side by side difllculty has been encountered in maintaining even, equal and constant stretch on each separate strand of ply yarn. In a good tire cord, when tested by breaking under tension, all the yarn ends will be broken off evenly, and in a splintered break these ends will be broken off at different points. These splintered breaks are caused by unequal lengths of ply yarn being twisted into cord, and the unequality of the yarn is caused primarily by unequal tension on the ply yarn as it is being twisted.

It has been found that a principal cause of this unequal tension is in the normal positions of the supply spools of ply yarn as arranged in the twister creel. As these are generally set up in staggered relationship, one above the other, relative to the twister, the yarn from the nearest spool is the tightest and the yarn from the furthest away spool is the slackest and so on, so that each of the yarn lengths are twisted into the cord at a different tension.

When tire cord is twisted from a package on which a plurality of yarn lengths are laid side by side under equal tension, uneven or splintered breaks are substantially eliminated.

Still further, it has been found that in high speed machines of this type the laying on in the proper order of the yarn is of utmost importance. The initial sequence of the laying on process must be maintained throughout the entire package, first to maintain a solid package and secondly to maintain equal lengths of the strands as they are being wound. It has been found by test on a three ply package, that a reversal of the laying on order from 12-3 to 3-2-1 would develop in one thread unequal stretch and a longer length. In the intermediate state between the proper sequence and a complete reversal, the threads would tend to build up rather than lay on the package. In order to maintain the proper laying on sequence a definite ratio between the peripheral speed of the package and the traversing mechanism must be maintained, and it has been noted by test that a very slight variation of this ratio will reverse the sequence.

The present invention deals fundamentally with the conditions described above and it aims to devise a thoroughly practical solution of the problems underlying them by providing a winding machine adapted to lay a plurality of ends side by side on a package under equal tension so as to provide a clean break as compared to a splintered break when the cord is tested by being broken under tension, and at the same time is adapted to run at a constant winding speed in order to maintain constant stretch.

In the following specification the Word pack.- age is used in the general sense to apply to a mass of yarn wound on a winder tube, and the word yarn is employed to indicate material of a textile nature or otherwise.

Applicants development The applicants invention is embodied in a winding machine which includes a winding spindle, means for rotating the spindle to Wind the yarn thereon to form a package and a traversing mechanism for guiding the yarn onto the spindle. In accordance with the invention, the traversing mechanism includes means responsive to the growth and diameter of the package for varying the speed of the driving means and a drive from the spindle to the traversing mechanism adapted to maintain a constant ratio between the speed of the traversing mechanism and the peripheral speed of the package. A preferred driving means for the spindle includes a first elongated substantially conical pulley having a driving connection to the spindle shaft and having its axis parallel to the axis of another conical pulley with its conical surface reversed to that of the first pulley. The second pulley is driven from the first pulley by a beltwhich is adapted to be moved by a belt shifting arrangement along the length of the pulleys so that the speed of the rotation of the second pulley is increased or reduced depending upon the position of the belt. In accordance with this aspect of the invention, the belt is moved by the action of the traversing mechanism so that as the package grows, the second pulley is rotated slower consequently the axial speed of the winding spindle is reduced.

Preferably the traversing mechanism is pivotally mounted for swinging movement away from the spindle as the package grows. In accordance with a preferred arrangement, there is a notched plate pivotally attached to the traversing mechanism and slidably mounted on the winder frame. A gear is rotatably mounted on the frame and a straight toothed rack engaged with the gear is 'is 'as follows.

adapted to engage in the notches in the plate. Means are provided to normally urge the rack into engagement with the plate. A sprocket gear is in direct connection with the gear and a chain in meshed engagement with the sprocket gear. The chain is workabl connected to the belt shifting means and there is means urging the belt towards the deep end of the second conical pulley so that as the package increases in diameter, the traversing mechanism in moving away from the spindle moves the notched plate and allows the rack to shift to subsequent notches thereby allowing the belt driving the second conical pulley from the first conical pulley to shift transversally a given distance along the length of the pulleys thereby varying the speed of the fixed axis spindle in direct relationship to the diameter of thepackage.

A preferred arrangement for drivably connecting the spindle and the traversing mechanism There is a sprocket gear fixably mounted on the drive shaft of the spindle, a secondary shaft, 9. sprocket gear mounted on one end of the secondary shaft, a chain drive connecting the gears, an adjustable V-belt pulley mounted 'onthe secondary shaft, a stub shaft mounted for rotation, a V-pulley mounted on said stub shaft, a V-belt workably connected between said two V- pulleysto drive the stub shaft from said secondary shaft, a gear mounted for rotation with the stub shaft, a shaft mounting the scroll of said traversing mechanism, a gear on said shaft and a chain workably connecting the two gears so that the scroll is driven from the stub shaft.

It is also desirable, in accordance with the invention, to 'mount'the supply spools equidistant from the spindle. For this purpose, the applicant prefers to employ a frame and mounts the spools .on horizontal shafts mounted on the frame so that their axis is parallel with and equidstant from the first point of contact of the yarn with the periphery of the winding spool. Preferably, braking means is provided to act on the supply spools to provide tension upon the end being drawn off, this means desirably including a braking face so that equal tension may be provided on each spool.

.The traversing mechanism is preferably pivotally mounted and includes a pivotally mounted bracket, a traversing roll mounted on the-bracket,

a driven shaft forming the pivotal axis of the bracket, means for driving the traversing roll from the shaft, a helical traversing scroll in the periphery of the traversing roll, a yarn guide eye mounted on the bracket. The guide eye is traversed in an oscillatory motion by a follower engaging in the helical scroll on the periphery of the traversing roll. This provides accurate and 'highspeed traversing and develops a firm evenly wound package.

A further phase of the applicants invention resides in the governing of the speed ratio between the winding spindle and the traversing roll. For instance in winding, with a package speed of 2400 R. P. M. with a 1 to minus traversing stroke, a very slight variation of the speed ratio between traversing and winding will reverse the laying on order of the strands. To accomplish this speed ratio adjustment the applicant has designed the V-belt drive between the package drive shaft and the traversing drive shaft to be adjustable. One of the V drive pulleys is adjust able in effective diameter acted upon by the V belt, thus allowingfor sufficient adjustment-in the relative speed of the package and the traversregulating mechanism or the stopping of the main driving source. Also, the clutch may be connected to the pivotal traversing guide eye assembly to stop the winding when the package has reached its desired size.

Detailed description 'Theinventionresides in the novel construction, adaptation and combination of parts as described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a front" elevation of a winder showin a preferred form the applicants development.

Figure 2 is a sideelevation of the winder illustratedin-Figure 1 taken from the right side.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the winder illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 taken from the left side of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged side elevation of a proposed-embodiment of the traversing mechanism taken on the line 4-4, Figure 5.

Figure 5 is an end section of the traversing mechanism as illustrated in Figure iltaken on the line 5--5, Figure 4.

Figure .6 is a orosssection taken through ,the

adjustable V belt pulley which is adapted to ad- -just the ratio of speed between the traversing mechanism andthe package.

Figure 7 .isa diagrammatic illustration showing the driving cycle throughout the winder.

Figure :8 is a diagrammatic illustration of the preferredarrangement of the notched plate and bar of the speed control mechanism.

Figure 9'is a diagrammatic illustration of the speed control arrangement. a

With particular reference to the drawings the applicants preferred form of apparatus consists of a suitable supporting framework ll, upon which are mounted the various parts comprising the winder. In order that the structure and functions of the various portions of the apparatus making up the complete winder may be understood clearly, each of these portions will now be described in separate .detail.

Spool rack and braking means A mounting for individual spools upon which theends are individually wound is used in the form of a; rack consisting of a frame I'Z attached to the front of the winder frame ll, having mounted thereon a plurality of disconnectable idler shafts [4 adapted to receive yarn holding spools l6. Stub shafts l8 situated adjacent each of the idler shafts are each adapted to carry a brake member which by choice may be a plate 2| which is urged, by a spring 22, into contact with either the material on the spool or the spool itself. The shafts I 4 are so placed in the frame I2 so that they are equidistant from a winder spindle (14) to bespoken of later. The spool frame I2 may be adapted to accommodate as many spools as there are ends to be wound, but for purposes of description, the preferred structure illustrated and described is adapted to accommodate three spools.

Drop arm electric said package;

stop motion for individual ends Each of the ends 24 drawn from the spools l6 are adapted to pass through the eye or guide of individual pivotally mounted drop arms 26 each of;which is supported by one of the ends 24 and allowed to drop when the support is removed by breakage or exhaustion of the supply of the yarn or thread 24: Mechanism well known to the trade is actuated by the dropping of any one of these arms 26 to stop the traversing mechanism and winding spindle in order to repair or replenish the supply of yarn. Further description of this stop motion is deemed unnecessary, other than that in the preferred structure the applicant has applied the stop motion to operate a clutch (16) disengaging the traversing mechanism and the winder spindle from the driving means, which will be detailed later.

End concentrating guide provided.

Driven traversing mechanism The ends 24 are then led over a fiat guiding surface which is formed by the casing 33 of the traversing mechanism and through the driven traversing eye which is adapted to remain a definite and constant distance from the periphery of the package being wound.

The traversing mechanism comprises a driven roll 42 upon which is inscribed a scroll 48 forming a double helical endless track. The shaft 43 upon which the roll 42 is mounted for rotation is supported for pivotal movement on a frame 52 mounted on the arm 34. A drive is effected between the driven shaft 36 and the roll shaft 43 by means of sprockets 86 and 84 mounted respectively on the shafts 3643 and a connecting chain drive 46. The arm 34 is pivotally mounted on the driving shaft 36, thereby allowing the traversing mechanism to move towards and away "from the winding shaft 14 which is adapted to carry a winding spool 55 upon which a package 56 is to be wound. A counterweight 35 may be used to urge said traversing mechanism towards The pivotal motion of the traversing mechanism is illustrated in Figure 5 by showing in full lines its position on a newly started package '56, and its position in broken lines 51 as the package has increased in diameter.

' The important feature in this construction is to the package 56 grows in diameter the traversing mechanism is pivoted on the axis of shaft 36 forming an arc AB as illustrated in Figure 5.

However, in order to maintain the guide eye 56 in Said idler roll 54 is adapted to roll against the circumference of the package and as 6 the'sanie relative position to the circumference of the package through its growth, a'continuation of the arc AB inscribed by the axis of the guide roll 54 must cut the axis of thewinder shaft 14. A follower 4i is seated in and adapted to follow the endless scroll 48 on the roll 42 and is pivotally mounted to the body 44 of the guide eye 50. The

body 44 is slidably mounted on a rod 46, which is supported by the frame 52, to guide the eye 56 in traversing in back and forth motion parallel to the axis of the package 56 51.

The drive and speed control mechanism The driving mechanism of ,the preferred structure comprises a main drive. shaft 66, which is driven by a source of power, and upon which is mounted a pulley 62. One of a pair .6410 of oppositely 1 disposed substantially conical sheaves, namely 64,.is mounted on a shaft66 having a pulley 68 mounted thereon, and is rotated by the belt drive 61 between pulleys 62--68. The second of said'conical sheaves namely '10, is mou'nted ona shaft 12 and is driven by a belt connection 1| fromcone 64.' A shaft 14 co -axial with said shaft 12 is adapted for engagement and disengagement with shaft 12 by a friction clutch 16. The other end of shaft 14 is adapted to form a winding spindle upon which a removable winder tube is placed to wind the package 56 on, .Driving connection is made between shaft 14 and a stub shaft 86 by means of chain gears 18 and 82 mounted on the respective shafts, by chain drive I9. ,Driving connection is made from said stub shaft to a second stub shaft 36 upon which shaft (36) the traversing assembly is pivotally' mounted, and driven by the rotary motion of theshaft 36. In order to maintain a definite calculated ratio between the speed of the package 56 and the traversing mechanism an adjustable V pulley 83 is provided on the shaft 86. (Detail of adjustable pulley described fully later.) A standard V pulley 85 situated on shaft 36 and a V belt I00 between the two pulleys, constitutes a drive between the first stub shaft 80 and thesecond stub shaft 36. A chain drive between the stub shaft36 and the shaft 43 upon which the traversing scroll 42 is mounted is supplied by a pair of gears 84 and 86 mounted on their respective shafts and connected-by" a chain drive 40. Thus, a positive drive is supplied between the stub shaft 36 and the scroll 42.

The package 56 and the scroll roll 42 are thus driven individually from the main driven shaft 60, the speed of both the package and the scroll being'varied by the position of the belt H on the cones 64-10. A further adjustment is possible in the ratio of speed between the package and the scroll by the adjustment of the V pulley 83.

The rotation of the scroll and the package may be stopped or started bythe use of the clutch '16 without stopping the main power drive 60. v

In a case where individual motor drive is employed'for each winder, the existing machines may be used including the conical feed regulator. per unit, it may be found advantageous to eliminate the conical speed regulators and control the speed of the driving motor by means of a rheostat or like equipment. Under such conditions the motor could be either directly orbelt connected to the shaft 12, and a link connection made between either the rod I I8, the chain mechanism I26, or any other point'such as the gears J20 orv I24 to control the rheostat. Such However, in the case of a single motor escapee 17 a construction ,is easily :within the skill of a :mechanic and therefore further detail is not 'deemed'necessaryin this specification.

The Adyustable V Pulley (83) To secure the proper ratio of speed between the traversing mechanism (scroll) and the pack- .age, a very fine adjustment is required. To provide this the applicant has devised a means wvhereby the effective perimeter of one V pulley (83) may be varied.

Referring particularly to Fig. 6 of the drawings the pulley comprises a pair of component disc-like members .9092, each having a hub portion 94 keyed or otherwise slidably mounted fora rotation with the shaft 80, and each hav- "ing .an inner beveled face adjacent to the peripheral edge, the opposed faces of the two portions forming a V. A flange 98 on one of the disc-like members "is adapted to mate with a recessedportion of the other to permit widening of the V without .fullyseparating the two members 9092. ,In this way the V belt I is permitted to ride .closer or further away from the shaft 80 thus decreasing or increasing the speed of the V belt at the will of the operator, by changing 'the eifective diameter or circumference of the pulley seat SIS-96 upon which the'V belt I00 bears. :For adjustment purposes, as an example, the hubs .94 of the disc member 9,092 may be "threaded onto the shaft 30 and locking nuts I02 threadably mounted on each side of .the composite pulley to limit the depth of the V. ,A spring I04 maybe positioned between the members 90-.92 to maintain thepulley at itsgadjusted extreme. Many other ways of mounting this pulley'for lateral adjustment are within the skill of the .average mechanic and therefore further details are not considered necessary. However, it will be understood from this drive and pulley disclosure that a fine adjustment is necessary and 'made possible, by the adjustable pulley, on the speed ratio between the :package and the traversing mechanism.

The package speed control To-guide the peripheral speed of the package by its wound diameter, the'applicant has devised a'speed regulator actedupon by the diameter of the package "and controlling the position of the belt 'TI driving between the cones 64-10 (see detail df'Figures 8 and-9). This regulator cons'istso'f asubstantially triangular plate I I 0 which by choice is slidably mounted on the frame I0 at I I2, and is pivotally connected 'by means of charm II4, which maybe an integral part of the plate H0, to 'the pivotally mounted traverse mechanism arm 34 orother suitable part. One edge of the "plate H0 is stepped by a series of notches 'I-IB which "are adapted to control the movement-of a toothed rack II8. "Said rack l I8 is urged into engagement with the stepped edge of' the plate IIO by the racks meshed engagemerit with=a gear I keyed to a shaft I22. Also keyed to said shaft I22 is a sprocket gear I24. An endless chain "I in meshed engagement with said sprocket I24 is connected to abelt shifter I28 which-is slida'bly mounted on a bar I26 and adapted to act on belt II driving the none 10 from cone 64. Said 'endless chain I30 is'adapted to idle over an idler gear I32, and the shifter 12B is counterweighed by weight I34, thereby urging said rack 8 into contact with the notched-edge H6 of the plate I I0. The compensating weight 134 is so designed to provide only :a slight tension on ethe'belt shifting app! ratus I28, thus when the rack I I8 is released from .onetooth section to the next, an even, smooth timing of the belt "II is effected, thereby causing an almost continuous decrease in 'the peripheral speed of the package. Therefore, it will be seen that a direct control of the position of the belt II is achieved through the chain rack and plate controlled by diameter of the package. A handle I36 is detachably mounted on the shaft I22 to manually move the belt 11 back to the high speed position on the cones, before the start of a fresh package.

Advantages After the machine .had passed its experimental stage, a .test machine was actuallyput into production on a mill floor and .both operators and management were convinced .of its excellent possibilities as to improvement in quality and economic aspects.

Briefly, some of the advantage may be out- ;lined .as follows:

The production'of a first-class .solid package even at .both ends, resulting partiallyfrom the yarn being under equal tension throughout the length of r the I package.

The winding of the package with the two, ithr -or more plies or ends wound on thesame-package under the same tension does away with splinter breaks. (Test in the lab of the proving mill has 'proventhis.)

Quicker creelingtime :on cable twisters, as :one large :package *(ten'pounds) would be .han-

died rather than two orthree smaller type-spools "as wound before. The larger spools also .de- :crease in number the twister spools gneedcdior this winding and also lessen the weight greatly on the frame when creeling.

:Further advantages of this type of winder which'zare reflected :in the production capacity :of a mill, is the size of the machine compared to the conventional winders. From the report of the test mill, 50% more machinery could be installed for the same floor space. In addition to this, the increased speed of athamaehine, which :tests show to be approximately 2400 R. P. ascompared to the conventional machine at "700 R. P. greatly increases the :production of a conventional mill. Furthermore, technical layout and production advantages are achieved as for example in :the :use with .M- twisters and shoe thread twisters.

'Ifmultiple end wind is used, 50% more machinery-can be placed in theisamearea. :Crecls for packages with two or more laid ends would be in the middle of the twister and not at the side, thus the spindles in a .pairrofirames could be facing each other.

Summing up, the advantages of the machine briefly are as follows:

A machine capable of making a (1) Solid package of side by side yarn,

(2) .A machine capable of laying three ends "of ply yarn onto awindertube (in "a ten :pound package ready for-the cable'twisting-machine),

(3) A new way of making tire cord.

(4) 'A novel traverse and laying on mechanism,

(5') A novel mechanism .for maintaining a constant maximum peripheral speed of the-package as the yarn .is wound on,

(6) A machine capable of winding .a.multip1e end onto a package under constant tension at high ,speed,

(7) Fewer spools to handle, reduction in space per production unit, increased production per unit, and the advantage in layout. I claim:

1. A winding machine, comprising, a frame, a winding spindle having a fixed axis mountedon said frame, means for rotating the spindle to wind yarn thereon to form a package, a traversing mechanism including a guide eye for guiding yarn on to said spindle, speed varying means connected to said spindle rotating means, said traversing mechanism being pivotally mounted for movement away from the spindle as the package grows, a notched plate pivotally attached to said traversing mechanism and slidably mounted on said winder frame, a gear rotatably mounted on said frame, a toothed rack engaged with said gear, said toothed rack being adapted to engage in the notches in said notched plate, means for urging said toothed rack into engagement with said plate, a sprocket gear in direct connection with said first named gear, a chain in meshed engagement with said sprocket gear, said chain being Workably connected to said speed varying means, whereby as the package increases in diameter said traversing mechanism in moving away from the package spindle moves said notched plate allowing said toothed rack to shift to subsequent notches thereby varying the speed of the fixed axis spindle in direct relationship to the diameter of the package.

2. A winding machine comprising a frame, a winding spindle mounted on said frame, means for rotating said spindle to wind yarn thereon to form a package, a traversing mechanism for guiding the yarn on the spindle, means responsive tothe growth in diameter of the package for varying the speed of said driving means, said traversing mechanism being pivotally mounted and including a pivotally mounted bracket, a traversing roll mounted on said bracket, a driven shaft forming the pivotal axis of said bracket, driving means between said driving shaft and said winding spindle means for driving said traversing roll from said shaft, a helical traversing scroll on the periphery of said traversing roll, a yarn guide eye mounted on said bracket, means workably connecting said guide eye to the scroll of said roll to traverse said guide eye in a reciprocating motion the length of the package to be wound, a guide roll adapted to contact the periphery of the yarn package, the radial arc of the axis of said guide roll formed by the pivoting of said bracket being adapted to pass through the axis of said yarn package, thereby maintaining the yarn guide eye at a fixed distance from the periphery of said package as yarn is wound on.

3. A winder as claimed in claim 2, including a plurality of supply spools mounted on said frame, said supply spools being rotatably mounted on horizontal shafts, a fixed plate having a plurality of spaced apart thread guide openings therein and a plurality of resilient split wheel guides mounted on said frame in parallel relationship with and between said supply spools and said fixed axis winding spindle, whereby individual thread ends are maintained in spaced apart relationship until they reach the guide eye of said traversing mechanism.

JOHN G. IQJRSHAW.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS France June 22, 1936 

